Hiking the Dolomites Alta Via 1

Have you ever wanted to hike a long distance trail? Then you need to give the Dolomites Alta Via 1 (High Route 1) in Italy a look. It starts near the Austrian border and heads south through the beautiful and rugged Dolomite Mountains for 80-90 miles.

Codai Lake below majestic Mount Civetta

The best part about backpacking this distance trail is each night you stay in a rifugio (mountain hut) so you don’t need to carry a tent, sleeping bag, cook set and many other items you would normally need on a typical backpacking trip. The rifugios vary in size and accommodation, but all offer a good night sleep, a shower, and tasty local food dishes.

Alta Via 1 Elevation Profile

Just because your pack may be a little lighter, don’t think for a minute that this hike will be easy. Everyday you’ll face steep climbs and descents, various trail conditions including rock, sand, boulders, mud, cliffs and snow chutes. But along with all of those challenges, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best views in all of Italy.

Another snow covered section nearing the highpoint on the trail at 9,000 feet.

When to go

Rifugio’s open the third week of June each year and stay open until early September, depending on the weather. In June and even in July, expect to encounter snow. We actually had to alter our route one day as the main path was covered in snow and impassable without proper safety gear.

One of the Via Ferrata sections possible along the way.

Have you heard of a Via Ferrata route?

Via ferratas are steel cable routes that were created in the first World War so that the troops could ascend and descend steep faces. There are multiple options to add the via ferratas along the way, but they are not required to complete the route. You do need a climbing harness, via ferrata set, and helmet to attempt any of the via ferrata routes. I don’t recommend them unless you have previous climbing experience and aren’t afraid of heights. The Via Ferrata routes are maintained by the CAI (Club Alpino Italiano or Italian Alpine Club).

Plan your trip early and book the rifugios as soon as your figure out your route. Some only have room for 20 people, so they can fill up quickly. The good news is that most are within a few miles of each other, so you usually have another option if you haven’t booked in advance. Most refugios are set up like hostels but many also have smaller rooms for 2-4 people that can be booked as well. Not all of them have potable water but they will have bottled water to purchase instead. Rifugio’ offer a half board which includes bed, breakfast, dinner and sometimes the shower too. The food was very good as well and was made up of dishes typical of the area.

One of the sections which the route was covered with snow. In this case we had to abandon the high route and cut through boulders into the valley to cross.

10 Tips for Hiking Italy’s Dolomites Alta Via 1

Learn from my experience and follow this tips for tackling the trail:

Great morning view at Coldai Lake.

1. Invest in some trekking poles.

If you haven’t used trekking poles before, have no fear. You’ll figure out how to use them right away. The Dolomites Alta Via 1 is a difficult trail with varying terrain and steep ascents and descents. Trekking poles will help you power up hill, keep your balance when you slip in mud, and reduce the strain on your knees and feet with every step you take. I had good luck with Leki poles, but any poles will be better than none.

2. Pack light.

Scrutinize every item you bring and bring only the essentials. Remember, you’ll be carrying whatever you pack for around 90 miles and for 6 – 12 hours each day through the challenging Dolomites.

Tim soaks his feet in the nice cold lake as they stop for lunch.

3. Bring sandals.

Most the rifugios require you to remove your boots before entering the main areas of the hut. Also, you’ll want them for showering to avoid getting athlete’s foot. Plus, they are great for taking your shoes off on longer breaks or when you find a nice cold stream to soak them in.

4. Quick drying clothes.

Since carrying a full wardrobe would make your pack unnecessarily heavy, bring clothes that are quick drying so you can wash them at the rifugios at the end of each day’s hike. Ex Officio make some great clothes that will be comfortable and designed for adventure travelers. Don’t forget your quick drying towel either.

5. Don’t skimp on socks.

Be sure to bring multiple pairs of hiking socks. I recommend swapping them out for a fresh pair at lunch – I promise that your feet will thank you. Hang your old ones off the back of your pack so they will air out and dry. It’s amazing the difference that a pair of new socks can make for your comfort.

Matt and his Dad Pat both liked their Osprey backpacks

6. Get a pack that fits comfortably.

A quality hiking pack that properly fits can make or break the comfort of your trip. You’ll most likely be carrying around 25-35 lbs for 90 miles, so get a pack that fits you. Gregory and Osprey both make some quality packs that are priced well. Go to a store and check them out by filling them up with gear and walking around for a few minutes to see if they are comfortable.

7. Prevent chaffing and blisters.

This a topic that most don’t want to talk about, but let’s face it, after hiking 90 miles there will be some parts of you that rub a bit. Whether it’s blisters on your feet or chaffing in your thighs, some preventive maintenance with products like chaffing creams and body rubs can prevent a miserable experience before it starts. Body Glide and Gold Bond both make anti-chafe products that apply like a deodorant and work great.

8. Trail runners vs. hiking boots.

Personally I recommend some comfortable hiking shoes or trail runners. Boots tend to be heavy and trap heat and sweat around your foot. After a long day in them you’re going to have some lazy feet (as I call it) and start stumbling on the trail. A pair of quality trail runners will be lightweight, comfortable, and give you great grip. I had great luck with my Vasque trail-running shoes but footwear really comes down to personal fit. Just make sure you choose something that fits well and give it a test hike prior to your trip. My last footwear tip is to ensure you trim your toenails prior to the hike. The steep downhills on Dolomites Alta Via 1 trails can put a pounding on your toes and even cause you to loose toenails over the course of the trip if they aren’t trimmed.

Afternoon storm comes in daily in the Dolomites

9. Get an early start.

Afternoon storms are the norm in the Dolomites and the northern areas in Italy, so start your hike early in the day. That leaves you a safety cushion should you get delayed during the hike and also leaves you more time to relax in the wonderful atmosphere at the rifugios.

A hearty minestrone soup at a rifugio.

Delicous Sausage at Rifugio Sommariva al Pramperet

10. Enjoy the food.

Rifugios make some great food that will certainly satisfy your appetite on the trail. If you normally eat a big meal, consider the half-board option. It usually comes with a pasta as a starter then a hearty meat course like goulash stew or local sausage. Plus, it comes with a dessert. If you don’t want to pack lunches for the whole trip, just plan your route to stop at a rifugio for lunch as well. They make some great sandwiches too.

I highly recommend pirchasing maps of the route. The Tabacco maps are the best and you’ll need maps 03, 24, 25, and 31 to cover the whole thing. Also if you come across a junction you’re not sure about while on the trail, just check the map, this would have saved us a couple hours along the way.

Last but not least, beware of the fences along the trail. I did lose a battle crossing one that turned out to be electric.

Interesting sunset after the storm came through

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This looks amazing! We were originally planning a hiking trip in the Dolomites, but everyone told us not to do it in August since it would be too crowded so we’re doing the Tour du Mont Blanc instead. Next year we’ll have to hit the Dolomites up in July. Beautiful photos and love that you can do Via Ferratas – I love them!

We’ve done quite a lot of hiking on the Gran Canaria, including our very own Camino de Santiago. But not quite as far as your recent trek. Thanks for the top tips, Tim, which we’ll definitely follow when we up the mileage.

Hi Tim,
Thanks for your tips. All make good sense and quite familiar to us after having completed a couple of treks in the Nepalese Himalayas.
3 or 4 of us plan to trek Alta via 1 in the first 2 weeks of September this year. Our intention is to do it ourselves (as opposed to joining an organised group with guide, etc). One concern is about accommodation: is it advisable to work out our route and pre-book our beds before we leave Australia, or, is it quite OK to book as we go by ringing the refugios a couple of nights in advance?
Another query relates to how we get from Venice to Lago di Braies for the start of the trek. We could consider hiring a car but only if it’s possible to leave it at Dobbiaco. If not, then we would go by train/bus. The same question applies to how we get from Belluno back to Venice (to collect luggage we want to leave there whilst trekking). Any transport info you can share would be gratefully received.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Regards, Marg

Guys, that hike looks just awesome! Reminds me a bit on my last multi-day hike in Torres del Paine in Chile!

Can you share how long you have been on the route? What have been your most favorite parts? It looks like 12 days are suggested to do the whole hike. What would you choose, if you would have less time?

We ate the majority of our meals at Refugio’s so between room and board, showers and you can’t forget the Vino we probably averaged 40-60€ per day. It may cost a little more to eat at the Refugio’s but it’s sure nice not having to carry 10 days worth of food.

Thanks for the great info. on the Alta Via 1. My wife & I plan to do it beginning June 22, 2014. We were thinking of staying the first night in Belluno and leaving our bags somewhere. Any suggestions on places to stay in Belluno and also about transport to the northern starting point? We don’t want to sign up for one of those expensive planners.

Thanks for posting this great information and inspiring photos. My husband and I are hiking the Alta Via 1 in July. Although, I hike a lot, this is my first backpacking trip. I’m wondering if it’s possible to wash our clothes at most of the rifugios? and if there is electricity to charge our phones and cameras? Any help you can give, would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Hello there.
I am planning on walking the Alta Via 1 or 2 this summer and I need some information about bringing a tent, so I kinda hoped you were able to help me understand. Is it correctly understood that it is not allowed to pitch anywhere on the trek, not even at the huts? I prefer sleeping in my tent for economical reasons mostly, but as I understand it is not allowed, meaning one would have to sleep inside the huts?

Yes Christopher you have it correct, it is prohibited to pitch a tent along the trail. You will have to stay in the Refugio’s along the way. At least staying at the huts you don’t have to carry a tent and sleeping pad. You may be able to stay at a few bivouacs (emergency shelters) along the way, but I don’t remember passing too many. They should be listed on the map though.

Alta via 1 is very beautiful place. it is wonderful post and Hiking will be a wonderful experience here. Photography is wonderful, so is the place. This looks like heaven on earth. This is a must visit place for hiking. Snow covered portion is adding to this place beauty.

Hi – I hiked the TMB in 2013, and am hoping to do the Alta Via 1 trail next year. The websites I found for the TMB were much more helpful at listing trail distances, and hut locations. I haven’t been able to find anything similar online for the Alta Via 1. Did you primarily rely on the guidebook? The website for the AV1 rifugios was ok, but not as clear about location and distances between huts.

I’d love to hike the TMB, that looks like an awesome trail as well. In the “Know Before You Go” section I linked to the book I used as well as the a link to the Dolomiti Refugio website. Between these two items we were able to piece together the route that best worked for our timeline. We also had bought all the Tabacco maps for the route so referenced those if we were unsure of a route or section.

I just walked the Alta Via 2 and here are my experiences from the trek.
I used the Cicerone guide and, to be honest with you, don’t even bother with it. It is horribly outdated and the routes, for the Alta Via 2 at least, are not very well described. I can totally recommend the Tabacco maps. They show all the necessary information about refugies and the routes themselves and you really don’t need more than that. The Cicerone have the phone numbers of the refugies, but you can get them online or just ask at the current refugee you are at – they all have each others numbers and are very friendly.

Thank you! I will make sure get 2pair of socks/day great tip. Also liked that you are preferring runners-that is how I stumbled in your website. I was looking for shoes to hike Dolomites. Great and Thanks again for sharing.

Hello to those who have hiked the AV1,
I am wondering – did you stay at the Nuvolau hut on the AV1 route, and if so, how was the terrain that followed it. I understand that it is loose and steep, and that there is one or more ladders and two aided sections, but I’ve also read in a few places that it requires via ferrata equipment, even though the Cicerone says nothing about that. Can you share some details of that section of the trail. We are hiking the AV1 this Fall, and trying to decide whether we should avoid that part of the trail in favour of an optional easier route.
Thank you.

Hi again,
We would appreciate hearing from anyone who did the last two days of the AV1 route (using the Cicerone guide book). We know there is a via ferrata optional part on the last day and we will avoid that. However we understand that the second last day involves some difficult terrain. We understand that there is no avoiding it, other than to cut the hike short by two days. We would appreciate hearing your thoughts on how difficult the hike was on that second last day.
Thank you very much.

I’m trying to plan a hiking trip in the Dolomites from June 9 – 21 (the only time that works for myself and my daughter). I realize it’s a little early in the season and I’m wondering if any of the refugios will be open that early, and if so, will enough of them be open that we could do a hut to hut trip (snow permitting)? Also, I’m curious whether much English (or French) is spoke along the at the refugios? Finally, I’ve seen chairlifts mentioned a few times – do these allow you to skip the steeper sections of some of the trails or they just take you to the trailhead?

Hi Angela, I think you are going to run into a lot of problems attempting the Alta Via then. The huts normally don’t open until the 3rd week of June. You can try contacting them now to see if they may be open, but for the most part they are very seasonal. Also, the Dolomites have had a few week of snow dumped on them in the last week or two. We came across snow on our hike in mid-July. As far as the chairlifts, they are mainly to access the Alta Via from a few alternate trailheads, there certainly aren’t any that allow to skip large portions. You will do ok with English at the Refugios, with Italian or even German as the main languages, I doubt anyone will be speaking French.

Hi Tim, thanks for your reply (disappointing though it is). I’m now trying to come up with an alternate plan so I’m wondering whether there any other hut-to-hut hiking options that you know of in the Dolomites that might be available during the time we will be there? Or would the huts along the TMB be likely to be open early in June? I’m really hoping for an alpine (snow permitting) hut-to-hut experience. If the hut-to-hut option isn’t possible I’m assuming there would be day hiking from the valley bottoms – where would you recommend?

We have booked our refuges for Alta via 1 in June and just realised that we need to do some via Ferrata to get to the lady overnight stop. Do you have any idea if we can hire a guide and equipment to do this section?

HI! I’m planning on hiking the first seven stages of Av1. I have a the Cicerone guide book but do I need to buy trail maps as well & which ones do you recommend? It seems I should be able to make due with just the guidebook but would love your opinion.

The trail book should be fine. Each refugio will also have a trail map and the route has signed posted fairly well. I happen to love maps and it helped with planning so we had purchased all 6 Tabacco maps that cover the route.

Hello Tim,
Thanks for your quick reply. We are packing and I am trying to pack LIGHT!!!! Yes, I have been hiking with my pack for the last month and now it’s down to the wire. So here is my question: As I look at the refugio websites, the weather seems to vary from high 70’s to low 50’s. Everywhere I read, they recommend a fleece, hat and gloves. I don’t really want to carry these and I am wondering if they are necessary. We will be on the Alta Via 1 from July 10 through the 20. Thanks in advance for your advice.

I wore a ball cap, but not a winter hat and didn’t need gloves either. But I did have a mid-layer fleece for the mornings and evenings. Most of the rifugios are at higher elevations so they can cool off quite a bit. We did hit a snow/fleet/hail storm as we approached Rifugio Lagazuoi on the trip, 40 degree temps in a storm at elevation can be pretty dangerous if you don’t have at least a jacket/rain shell.

Just an enquiry about whether to also bring a sleeping bag or do the rifugios definitely always have blankets? Thinking about the temperature dropping at night and only having a liner.
Also is the route really well marked? I saw someone else asked about having to purchase maps ontop of the guide book..

All the rifugios we stayed at did have blankets available. Half our group use them, the other half used a liner and lightweight bag. The route is pretty well marked and all the rifugios will have the map of their area. We did carry paper maps and actually made a detour to avoid a feratta section, but it was also in the guide book.

have always wanted to hike the Dolomites (and combine with a trip to Alto Adige)-I love the idea of not carrying tents and camping (they also have B&B routes on the Camino in Spain which are a fabulous way to do a tough long distance route without giving up ALL creature comforts :)). Question for you since you live in Bordeaux currently-do you guys speak French?

Dear Tim,
My husband and I are planning on hiking the Alta 1 in July .
We are trying to book accommodation.. We would like to book private rooms for the majority of our trip.
We are finding it difficult as we can t proceed without having each confirmed . Would you have any tips for us ?
Mary.

Meet Jennifer & Tim

We’re Jennifer and Tim. We’re professional travel writers and photographers who love adventure and wine, so we often try to combine the two. By day, you’ll find us out on some crazy adventure like snorkeling in Iceland in winter or on a long distance hut-to-hut hike in the Dolomites, but by night, we’re creatures of comfort. If you’re looking for a travel blog about a long-term around-the-world journey, how to travel on $50 a day or less or traveling with kids, Luxe Adventure Traveler isn’t it. Our award-winning travel blog is all about heart pumping adventures, world class accommodations and luxury experiences. Read more...

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